The following description is provided to assist the understanding of the reader. None of the information provided or references cited is admitted to be prior art.
Organ regeneration and tissue engineering involve the manipulation of living cells to develop biological substitutes for patients in need thereof. In order for tissue and organ replacement to be practical, however, the framework for producing such complex biological structures must imitate an environment that can guide natural cell differentiation and tissue growth. Natural or artificial scaffolds, i.e., matrix complexes, can support a variety of cellular and tissue related processes. These biological structures serve multiple purposes, including, facilitating cell or tissue attachment, migration, delivery, and retention. As such, biological scaffolds can be seeded with cells and cultured in vitro or directly implanted into a patient. However, three-dimensional tissue engineering and organ development requires additional considerations relating to scaffold topology.
Tissue engineering applications may require structures that can support cell development for a variety of different cell-types, including stem cells. In this regard, precise topological reproductions of membranous structures, which biologically mimic actual membranes, can guide sterically-induced cellular differentiation and subsequent organogenesis. Accordingly, authentic membrane support complexes are necessary for ensuring the development and integrity of specific tissues by providing the proper topological environment. Additionally, mechanisms for reproducing such support complexes are an important consideration in the development of new strategies for large-scale tissue engineering and organ replacement.